Casady Spring/ Summer Magazine 2012

2012 Spring/Summer Magazine

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Table of CONTENTS

Features

Casady School

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From the Head of School

Science Olympiad

The Melting Pot

Class of 2012

Faculty Members Retire After Years of Service

On the Right Track

Honoring Dr. Woolsey

From the Bishop

A Literary Exchange

65th Anniversary Celebration

Around the Lake

Spring/Summer 2012

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From the Head of School

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Dear Friends:

The many notable accomplishments at Casady throughout the 2011-12 school year can be credited to sound preparation, success in overcoming diverse challenges and a steadfast commitment to excellence by talented and dedicated members representing the entire spectrum of our community. In the spring, particularly, we witnessed an amazing display of ingenuity and fortitude by our Middle Division students, who won the regional MathCounts Competition, earned the “Most Creative Use of Technology” Award from the Virtual Problem-Solving Project and placed first at the state Science Olympiad competition. This school year represented Casady’s first time to participate in Science Olympiad. The team qualified for nationals and had an exciting journey to Orlando that you can read more about in this edition of the Casady Magazine. Moreover, our Board of Visitors recognized the hard work of our students and faculty in their annual meeting here on campus and affirmed that the School is headed in the right direction as it anticipates and prepares for the various needs of the next decade. Inevitably, this momentum has carried over into the summer and will continue well into the fall of the new school year. Such can be evidenced as we launch our brand new website, add theater and speech and debate courses in the Middle Division, incorporate the Sage Dining program and complete renovations to the Lower Division and welcome our new Upper Division Director, Mr. Brad Philipson. The fresh look of our new website gives us the opportunity to represent ourselves to the world in a way that we all feel is true to the Casady experience: it is warm, welcoming, spirited and conveys our unchanging mission to educate our students in mind, body and spirit. In addition, the new site offers more user functionality and thoughtfully provides a place for every constituent group while accounting for the unique preferences of each individual user.

When you get a chance, please log on to www.casady.org and take a look – we think you’ll be impressed. We are also excited about the new theater and speech and debate electives that will be available to our seventh and eighth-graders beginning in the fall. Students participating in theater will have the opportunity to use their creativity and imagination as they produce a Middle Division play. Our students in speech and debate will hone their analytical and communication skills and be prepared for the Upper Division debate team, which competes nationally. Students in the Lower Division will be delighted when they come back to school to find a brighter, fresher and healthier space. Renovations include new heat and air systems, including new ductwork, new flooring throughout the building, new ceiling materials, fresh paint and better lighting. In addition, there will be a centralized entrance and covered area for inclement weather and a new covered back patio area will provide additional space for multiple uses including instruction, gardening or lunch. We are so grateful to all of the generous donors who have invested in this project to make it a reality. Lower Division students will also benefit from the addition of the Sage Dining lunch program, which ensures that hot, healthy lunches are served to students in their classrooms everyday. The implementation of this lunch program fits squarely within the mission of Casady School by promoting healthy food choices and contributing positively to the overall health of our students. Last, but certainly not least, we are glad to have Mr. Brad Philipson, our new Upper Division Director, on campus. Mr. Philipson comes to Casady after serving as an English teacher, Dean of Students and Assistant Principal at Metairie Park Country Day School in Metairie, Louisiana. His diverse experiences add to his strong knowledge base of independent schools and allow him to fit right in here at Casady. These are just some of the highlights of our outstanding positive growth and continued progress. I am pleased to say that Casady School remains unabated on its course to enduring success and we are propelled by a momentum that will ultimately take us to unprecedented heights. We remain grateful for your continued support, as we recognize that we could not do any of this without the loyalty and dedication of our community.

Sincerely,

Christopher C. BrightHead of School


From the Bishop

Casady SchoolChristopher C. Bright

Head of School

David Gorham Associate Head of School

Nathan SheldonChief Financial Officer/

Associate Head of School

Brad PhilipsonDirector of Upper Division

Elizabeth Larsen Director of Middle Division

Anne FranceDirector of Lower Division

Jane Sharp Director of Primary Division

The Reverend Charles Blizzard Vicar of the Chapel of St. Edward the Confessor

Casady Magazine The Casady Magazine is the official publication

of Casady School created to support and advance the educational goals of the School

by fostering the interests and activities of Casady alumni, parents and friends. The Casady

Magazine is produced by the Advancement Office. We would like to thank Chris Landsberger

and Wes Sharp for their photographic contributions to this publication.

Advancement StaffLaura Lang

Director of Institutional Advancement

Heidi Cohn Director of Annual Giving

Betty Jane Garrett Director of Alumni Affairs

Ashley Gibson Director of Communications

Kay Love-Day

Manager of Gift Records

Kristin ThreadgillPublications Advisor/ Communications Assistant

© Casady School, 2012

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Dear Friends,

This past year has been such a wonderful time of celebration as our School community commemorated Casady’s marvelous heritage and history that spans the past 65 years. We’ve had much to celebrate, from the achievements of our distinguished alumni to the activities and interests of our current students, from our faculty’s dedication to the championships our athletic teams have brought home from SPC. Through it all, one aspect of our School has remained constant and unchanging: the roots in the Episcopal tradition that are traced back to the inception of the very idea of Casady School. The role of the Chapel of St. Edward the Confessor in the life of the School and in the lives of our community members was marked throughout the anniversary year, with the dedication of the stained-glass windows in the Chapel and a service

celebrating the many weddings and baptisms in that sacred space over the past six and a half decades. It is clear that the heart of this School still is, and always will be, in the serenity of St. Edward’s.

Faithfully,

The Rt. Rev. Dr. Edward J. KoniecznyBishop of Oklahoma

Casady School admits students of any race, color, religion, creed, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally

accorded or made available at the School. The School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, national and ethnic origin in the

administration of its educational policies, financial aid and loan programs, at athletic and other school-administered programs.


T Through a unique School cooperative, Casady seniors and kindergarteners have the opportunity to interact, impress and entertain each other with their own personal works of literature. After spending a few days reading and critiquing children’s literature in a Multiple Genre Creative Writing class, a group of seniors began the process of crafting their own stories that would be read to Casady kindergarteners. They worked diligently on their projects, and they were conscientious about their content, structure, characterization, use of rhetorical devices and illustration, said Mrs. Whitney Finley, who instructs the class. “One of my students remarked: The pressure is on when you know that at the end of your work you are going to be critiqued by real six-year-olds,” she said. The 2010-11 school year marked the first year of this project, but only involved the seniors reading to the kindergarteners. It yielded such great success that some of the kindergarten teachers used the experience as a launching pad for their students to write stories and present them to seniors during this past spring semester. “This is such a great program,” Jane Sharp, Primary Division Director, said. “Our students really enjoy spending time with the seniors and they look up to them. Both groups, the seniors and the kindergarten students, work hard and do a great job of providing stories that bring joy and excitement to the experience.” The exchange is a great way for students to be creative and it provides an artistic outlet for self-expression, said Head of School Chris Bright. “I am intrigued and impressed with the level of creativity both age groups display in their writings,” Bright said as he listened in on some of the stories. “Our students are filled with such amazing talent and the quality of their work wonderfully reflects the time and effort they expend in developing their stories.”

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Brad Philipson is no stranger to the world of academia. After serving as an English teacher, Dean of Students and Assistant Principal at an Upper School in Louisiana, Mr. Philipson has come to learn the ins and outs of life within the classroom and administration. His diverse experiences are a part of what made him a good candidate to take the reins of Casady’s Upper Division this fall. Mr. Philipson said he is excited about starting his tenure as the Upper Division’s new director. “What has impressed me most is the intense loyalty and affection people have for this institution. From people who have been here for only a few years to people who have been here for several decades, everyone cares deeply about Casady, and this shows in how they go about their day-to-day activities. It takes a very special place to instill this kind of loyalty,” he said. Mr. Philipson said he also hopes to spend his first year learning more about Casady and identifying ways he can help the Upper Division continue in its strong tradition of excellence. “My purpose here is not so much to bring something new, but rather to look with fresh eyes upon everything that is already here. Casady has so many wonderful assets, including an enthusiastic student body, supportive parents, a beautiful campus and an incredibly talented faculty,” he said. “My first year, especially, will be spent learning everyone’s unique strengths and trying to facilitate making the most out of these strengths.”

When asked about what he is looking forward to most, he jokingly responds, “From the way everyone’s talking, I’m tempted to say lunch in Calvert. Really, though, I’m just looking forward to getting to know everybody. I have such great first impressions of everybody from my visits thus far, and already Coach Warden and Ms. Infantino have been fantastic in helping me learn the ropes and making me feel at home,” he said. “Then there’s poor Ms. Cockrum. Her office is just outside mine, so every time I have a question or even a frivolous thought I need to share, she’s right there. No matter how many silly questions I have, though, she always has a cheerful answer. I can’t wait to get to know more and more people in the community as the summer and fall progress.” After receiving a bachelor’s in public policy from Washington & Lee University, Mr. Philipson went on to receive two master’s degrees: an MA in English and creative writing from Hollins University and an MFA in creative writing from the University of New Orleans. He currently is a candidate for a PhD in interdisciplinary studies at Tulane University. Before coming to Casady, Mr. Philipson served as the Assistant Principal of the Upper School at Metairie Park Country Day School in Metairie, La., where he also has served as Dean of Students and as an Upper School English faculty member since 2003.

CASADY WELCOMESNEW UPPER

DIVISION DIRECTOR TO

CAMPUS


“I just decided to try my best and see what happens.”

In its first year to compete in the Science Olympiad, the Casady Middle Division team won the state championship, taking 17 out of 19 events and

qualifying for nationals.

-Shaan Patel

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6TH GRADEShubham Gulati

Nell JohnsonAnna Thompson

Max Tjauw


B Building mousetraps, playing detective, constructing towers, predicting the weather and experimenting with robotics are all a part of being a member of the Casady Science Olympiad team- a team that in its first year to compete won the state championship, taking 17 out of 19 events. Fun times come easily and inevitably as teammates watch their bottle rockets propel into the atmosphere or discover that their towers are too heavy and in an instant, they come crashing down. Yet, in the midst of it all, students are being pushed to new, intellectual levels and developing a solid work ethic, said Shannon Semet, a Casady middle division science teacher who helped coach the team along with her colleagues Aric Sappington and Gabe Gerard. “I believe the students find that they can immerse themselves in a specific area of science and learn a great deal; then when they feel comfortable with it, they realize there is always more to learn even within the same area,” she said. “For the competition, the team not only learned their specific event topic (optics, meteorology, etc.) but they also learned how to research, how to find information, how to seek out adults for information and how to use their time and resources well. At the state competition there was even a last minute switch, and we had to send two students into an event that they hadn’t prepared for and they still took first place.” The state Science Olympiad tournament, hosted Saturday, April 7, at the University of Central Oklahoma, included four other middle schools. Casady students participated in events such as: bottle rockets, crime busters, disease detective, experimental design towers, meteorology and more. According to the Science Olympiad website, the competition is “one of the premiere science competitions in the nation, providing rigorous standards-based challenges to nearly 6,200 teams in 50 states.” Rising eighth-grader Allison Farhood, who, along with teammates, spent extra hours after school and on the weekends preparing for the competition, said she was glad to see their hard work pay off. The team of 15 students, ranging from grades six to eight, worked until 5 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays; spent three hours on campus every Saturday; and put in nearly a full day’s work on Good Friday, Farhood recalls. “I feel like it was really special and that we did a big thing winning for Casady,” said Farhood, who competed in thermodynamics, forestry and mousetrap vehicle. “It’s been great walking by the trophy and knowing that I had a part in winning that. My mom said she was really proud because of all the extra time we put into getting ready for the competition. It was great,

and I definitely feel more connected with the other sixth and eighth-graders.” Rising seventh-grader Shubham Gulati said he had his trepidations on state competition day and questioned whether he could win or if his work would be good enough. Those doubts soon subsided when he and Sheridan Carter took first place in Mission Possible, an exercise that requires participants to make a Rube Goldberg apparatus, a deliberately over-engineered machine that performs a very simple task in a very complex fashion, usually including a chain reaction. “It was really fun and a really cool experience,” he said. “There wasn’t anything to worry about.” Shaan Patel, a rising ninth-grader, echoed Gulati’s sentiments. After breaking his arm, Patel had only one hand he could use to do the experimental design tower exercise, which required the building of a structure approximately 70 centimeters tall, about 40 grams in mass, and that can hold about 15 kilograms. “I didn’t want us to get last place,” he said. “I just decided to try my best and see what happens.” He and his teammate’s best work yielded a ranking of first place. “These kids were driven from the start, but they saw how the competition became fierce at the national level,” Mrs. Semet said. “I think they were impressed by their competitors and with themselves. This was the first year Casady School has ever had a Science Olympiad Team. We didn’t know what to expect for Nationals- the kids worked hard, though. I was pleased with our team’s focus at Nationals.” The team competed in 23 different events at the National Science Olympiad, which gave them each two to three events for which they had to prepare and they all pitched in and helped each other as needed. Though the team place 58th out of 60 at the national competition hosted in Orlando this past May, Mrs. Semet said the students still walked away winners. “I believe the team was disappointed at first when the placement was released, but when we started to break down how they really did-they started to see their accomplishments,” she said. “We placed 29th out of 60 in Water Quality and 32nd out of 60 in Bottle Rockets. We had a lot to be proud of. We kept saying: This is a learning experience. It truly was. The kids all learned so much. They rallied, they were sad, they laughed, they wore themselves out, but so many of them were grateful they did it.” Not only did the Science Olympiad impact the students who participated, but the faculty and other Casady students, as well, Mrs. Semet said. “Personally, the Science Olympiad team changed how I teach. I know that seems odd, but when I returned from the national competition, although I always tried to challenge my students, I realized I needed to challenge them more, not just the Science Olympiad Team, but all my students,” she said. “It’s always interesting to see how far a student can go when given a challenge beyond their reach. And, the Science Olympiad is specifically designed to be harder than what the students expect- not to watch them fail, but instead to see how far they will push themselves. The other Casady students were amazing to watch, too. They helped their classmates who were on the team. They supported them, they offered advice, they kept up with their adventures via the team’s Facebook page, and they were supportive when we returned. There seems to be new interest in science and many other students want to be a part of the team next year. We can only have 15 on the team, so it’s a good problem to have.”

THE TEAM MEMBERS INCLUDED:

“I just decided to try my best and see what happens.”

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6TH GRADEShubham Gulati

Nell JohnsonAnna Thompson

Max Tjauw

7TH GRADEAnanya Bhaktaram

Sheridan CarterClaire Darrow

Allison FarhoodBlake Gerard

Symon Ma

8TH GRADECarl Albert

Agnish ChakraburttyDeja Kirk

Tek KridlerShaan Patel


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CASADY SCHOOLA History Worth Celebrating

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Upper Division Anniversary UnderwritersLouise and Clay Bennett

Mrs. John D. CheekSusan and Ramsey DrakeChristy and Jim Everest

Carol and Carey Joullian IVCarrie and Steve KatiganJenee and Darren Lister

The Kym and Steve Mason FamilyKatie and Aubrey McClendon

Polly and Larry NicholsThe Payne Family

Mr. and Mrs. George J. RecordsMr. and Mrs. Richard L. SiasM. V. Williams Foundation

Middle Division SponsorsLaura and Henry HoodSarah and Dan HoganKaren and Mike Samis

Southwestern Stationers

Lower Division SponsorsLeigh Ann and Paul Albers

Sue and Gary HomseyCarol and Mike Johnson

The McCubbin FamilyKari and Hardy Watkins

THANK YOU!Because of the generosity of the donors and sponsors listed below, Casady School was able to host

a wide variety of events all year that commemorated 65 years of rich history. We would like to thank them for their support of Casady and our anniversary, and we invite you to enjoy these photos from

the second half of the anniversary year.

The Rt. Rev. Dr. Edward J. KoniecznyThe Silver/Merson FamilyDr. and Mrs. Roy BankheadPrecia and Greg BarrettMr. and Mrs. G.T. BlankenshipLori and Jeff BlumenthalTheresa and David BozalisSharon and John R. BozalisKaye and Ed CookAmy and David CottrellSusan and Eric EckmanVicki and Jim EnglishShirley and Pete EverestMrs. Janell EverestAnn Felton GillilandHeidi and Eric FisherMary and Colin FitzSimonsRagon Gentry and AssociatesBette Jo and Frank HillSusan and Peter HoffmanMr. and Mrs. Herman L. Hogue

Janet and Jim JonesDr. and Mrs. Douglas W. KaplanDonald J. KyteBebe and Bruce MacKellarDr. and Mrs. Hal MartinDonna and Robert McCampbellAleda Toma and Mike McCoyKaren and Rich McLainMr. and Mrs. K. T. MeadeDrs. Sumeeta and Sumit NandaLee Ann and Michael NordinKim and Joe O’ConnorCharles L. OppenheimNiki and Bill PuffinbargerMary Kay and Bob SamisPat and Fred Schonwald, Jr.Gayla and Tom StapletonSherri and Ken WertJill and Jim Williams

Primary Division Sponsors


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EVENING OF THE ARTS Members of the Casady community gathered on the Middle Division lawn for a picnic and to celebrate the Evening of the Arts. More than 200 Casady students participated in vocal, instrumental and dance performances.


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SENIOR PICNIC The Alumni Association hosts the Senior Picnic, traditionally held after graduation rehearsal, to welcome and congratulate the senior class. This year, the Alumni Association welcomes 71 alums from the Class of 2012. Gifts to seniors include a Casady Alumni hat, mouse pad and bumper sticker.

WOOLSEY MEMORIAL SERVICE & CASADY CLUB In February during Founders’ Week, Casady hosted the Woolsey Memorial Service, in honor of the late Headmaster Dr. Robert B. Woolsey. The service was held in the Chapel and involved The Rt. Rev. Dr. Edward J. Konieczny, Fr. Charles Blizzard, Fr. John Marlin and Fr. Bennett Barnes, who was Vicar at Casady early in Dr. Woolsey’s Casady career. A Casady Club lunch at The Coach House featured Midge Woolsey ’73 as the speaker.

DECADE CHAPEL SPEAKER One of many activities throughout the year to celebrate Casady’s 65th anniversary, the Chapel hosted an alum from each decade to speak to students about their experiences at Casady. Pictured here is Bart Shelley ’02 who spoke in February about the 2000s. His father, Athletic Director Steve Shelley ’73, told students in November about his time on campus in the 1970s.


OKCMOA ROOF TERRACE Celebrating a spectacular year, Casady alumni gathered for a spring social on a beautiful evening in May on the Roof Terrace at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art. The Alumni Association picked up the admission fee for this new annual event, and alums from across the decades enjoyed the time together.

HATCHED & MATCHED In April, Casady celebrated all 185 baptisms and 336 weddings that had taken place during the past 65 years in St. Edward’s Chapel. A photographer was on hand at the event, and a bridal bouquet was available for the bride and her groom at the altar. Casady’s Upper Division student quartet provided the music, and the reception included wedding cake, petit fours and wedding punch.

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CASADY GOLF TOURNAMENT Many parents, friends, alumni and parents of alums participated in the Casady Golf Tournament this year at Quail Creek Golf and Country Club. A record number of sponsors supported the tournament, and MidFirst Bank claimed the top spot as a Double Eagle sponsor. This annual fundraiser allows the Alumni Association to provide special gifts to the School such as the Casady School Alumni Association Scholarship Fund, a stained-glass window in the Chapel, support to the Archives and Annual Fund, as well as memorial gifts in honor of alumni.


A As an older woman donning a bright red kimono accented with big white polka dots closes her eyes and sings an anthem from her native land of Japan, a hush falls over a large group of Casady second-graders who seem to be relishing in the mystique of the moment. The woman, along with her niece and granddaughter, have been invited to the Lower Division to share a presentation on Japanese culture that includes music, special traditions for children and the well-known art form of origami. Vibrant demonstrations like these are just one way students in the Lower Division are taught an appreciation for diversity and the many ways it enhances the human experience. The most effective method, though, is probably through daily interaction with students from various backgrounds, said second-grade teacher Mrs. Cheri Lamb. Mrs. Lamb has seen the impact first-hand – she had seven students representing eight different countries in her class this past school year. Some of the students in Mrs. Lamb’s class were born in the United States, but relate strongly with their cultural identities and the countries of their families’ origins. Their heritage nearly spans the globe: Iranian, Turkish, Philippine, Indian, Russian, Peruvian, Hungarian and Pakistani. These kinds of interpersonal exchanges are invaluable to the healthy social development of young children and are a staple in the Casady experience, Mrs. Lamb said. “Teaching this diverse group of children has been an incredible experience for me,” she said. “It’s amazing how after 14 years at Casady, I can still learn so much from children. Some of my students go to their respective countries during the breaks, and some of

them even attend language schools while they are away from the United States. I have them journal while they are out of the country so the other students can hear about their adventures and we can compare cultures.” The mutuality shared between the students creates a safe atmosphere conducive to discovery and growth, Mrs. Lamb said. “Every child is unique and offers so much to the learning environment, but one student this year will always stand out,” she said. “She was very shy and had broken English. At the beginning of the year, she wouldn’t speak and if she did, you couldn’t hear her. As the year progressed, she began to read to me, then she started talking to me on the way to Chapel, and then she started interacting with other students. By the end of the school year, she was an active, playful little girl. Those are the kind of experiences that make teaching such a joy.” As the United States and even Oklahoma City, in particular, continues to become more diverse, classrooms that consist of students from all walks of life are becoming a more important element in preparing the next generation for success, Mrs. Lamb said. “In the Lower Division, we celebrate each child’s heritage and encourage parents to share their cultures with us,” she said. “Our students are so accepting of each other that they tend not to notice differences. By having so many different countries represented in our room, as well as in Lower itself, this year has been a learning experience that I feel has touched all of our lives. As teachers, we feel assured that our students can flourish in the world, possessing a social conscience and an appreciation for humanity.”

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1) Divya Chandrasekaran, Anna Ungvari, Maham Hameed, Taner Altan, Igor Ousyannikou, Erik Pascual-Rosales and Neema Alamian represented eight different countries in Ms. Lamb’s second-grade class. 2) Casady second-graders enjoy a presentation on Japanese culture. 3) Second-grader Carson Buffalo colors an African flag during Kwanzaa presentation. 4) Mrs. Sharri Coleman, mother of second-grader, Courtland, shares a presentation on Kwanzaa.

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A After earning acceptance into nearly 100 of the nation’s top universities, racking up more than $4 million in scholarships and clocking more certified service learning hours than any other Casady graduating class, the 71 seniors in the Casady Class of 2012 are prepared to succeed. This graduating class will matriculate to 32 different schools: 31in the U.S. and one in England. “Once again our seniors have excellent college choices,” said Josh Bottomly, Director of College Counseling. “Each senior has successfully identified the best college fit for them. Consequently, our overall acceptance rate has never been higher. And our kids are receiving the kind of lucrative merit packages and leadership opportunities at colleges and universities that speak volumes of our School’s mission.” Bottomly added that Casady students did a great job this year of securing a diversity of scholarships from institutions and community organizations on both the local and national levels. For example, Rachel Nolting received a scholarship from the Oklahoma City Community Foundation and Andrew Clements earned this year’s Black Mesa scholarship. Some examples of institutional scholarship recipients include Taylor Brown, who received the Clara Luper Scholarship, which equals a full ride to Oklahoma City University, and Theodore Nollert, a National Merit Scholar who accepted the Bellingrath Fellowship offered at Rhodes College. On the national level, Chandler Helms became the first Casady student to receive a scholarship presented by FootLocker and Dosomething.org, while students like Nicole Lardner and Zainab Shakir accepted full rides to the University of Oklahoma as National Merit Scholars.

Congratulations to the Class of 2012 on Finding the Best College Fit!

Abilene Christian University University of Alabama University of Arizona University of Arkansas* American University Auburn University Austin College Baylor University* Belmont University Boston College Boston University California Lutheran University* University of California - Santa Barbara Calvin College University of Central Oklahoma Centre College Chapman University College of Charleston Clemson University University of Colorado -Boulder Colorado State University Dartmouth College Davidson College Denison University DePaul University DePauw University Drury University Duke University Elon University Fontbonne University Furman University University of Georgia Hampden-Sydney College Hendrix College

Hope College University of Kansas Kansas Wesleyan University Lewis and Clark College Louisiana State University Loyola University (New Orleans) Lynchburg College Macalester College Maryville University Mid-America Christian University Mississippi State University University of Mississippi University of Missouri - Columbia University of Missouri - Kansas City Newcastle University (England) University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill University of Northumbria (England) Northwestern University Oberlin College University of Oklahoma* Oklahoma Christian University Oklahoma City University Oklahoma State University* Oklahoma Wesleyan College University of Oregon Parsons The New School for Design Point Loma Nazarene University Regis University Rhodes College University of Richmond Roanoke College Saint Louis University University of San Diego University of San Francisco Seattle Pacific University Sewanee: The University of the South* Southern Methodist University* University of Southern California

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Southwestern College Southwestern University Southwestern OK State University St. John’s College (Annapolis) Texas A&M University University of Texas - Austin Texas Christian University* Trinity University (San Antonio) Tulane University University of Tulsa* Washington University - St. Louis University of Washington Vanderbilt University* Washington and Lee University Webster University Westminster College Westmont College Wheaton College (Ill.) Whittier College Whitworth University

University of Wisconsin - Madison Wittenberg University College of Wooster University of York This list includes the schools to which our graduates have been accepted. Schools in bold represent the colleges that are the best fit for members of the Class of 2012 and which they will attend in the fall.

*Two or more students will attend in the fall.

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Susan Bruce Mrs. Susan Bruce bids a farewell to Casady after 28 years of teaching students in the Lower Division. Mrs. Bruce started at Casady as a second-grade teacher, and throughout her career, she also taught third-grade math and science and fourth-grade math. In addition, she sponsored a chess club, environmental club, drove the bus on field trips and took her students to watch her donate blood at the annual Casady blood drive. Her fondest memories include her introduction to Casady and watching her students master mathematics. “The first memorable occasion was when the venerable Tom Tongue, who was Director of Admissions at that time, gave my children and me an extremely informative and personal tour of the beautiful campus. We were so impressed that day and felt privileged to become part of the Casady family,” she said. “I have many proud memories of my own children’s academic, athletic and artistic accomplishments, but also of those of my students over the years. Every day was memorable when a student said: ‘Oh, now I get it!’ or ‘I love math because it makes me think.’” “I will also miss the warm relationships with many of their families that have been built over the years. I will also miss seeing my faculty friends every day,” she said. Though she is officially retired, Mrs. Bruce said she plans to continue to be involved with Casady. Her husband Larry Bruce, Director of Technology, and she will have four grandchildren enrolled in the fall: James and Grace Elder in Primary, Kate Johnson in Lower and Grant Johnson in Middle Division. She also looks forward to having time for reading, exercising, cooking, bicycling, keeping in touch with friends and family, sailing with her husband, having lunch with her daughters and visiting her son in Chicago, as well as planning some exciting vacations. “Casady has been an enormous part of my life for the past twenty-eight years. I feel very fortunate to have been a part of this institution and of the Casady community. I know that Casady will continue to offer a challenging, loving and enriching environment for both its students and faculty.” Mrs. Bruce received the Mike Monroney Fellowship in 1996. Her children Adrienne Ballew Elder ’95, Jacqueline Ballew Johnson ’89 and Jason Ballew ’91 all graduated from Casady.

Sam Effinger Mr. Sam Effinger retires from Casady after seven years of service. He served as a Communications Graphics Assistant and Graphic Arts Instructor during the beginning of his tenure and soon became an adviser to students who worked on the School’s two student publications: The Crier (newspaper) and The Twister (the yearbook). Mr. Effinger said he will remember fondly the spring semesters at Casady when the yearbooks arrived. “It was rewarding to see the reaction from students and to witness the pride and joy on the faces of the Twister staff. All those hundreds of hours of hard work had paid off,” he said. “I will miss the relationships I made with the teachers and staff at Casady. I have made many friends among the faculty and hope to keep those relationships in the future. Mostly, I will miss the students who worked around their own difficult schedules to produce an award-winning yearbook and newspaper in their spare time. “ Now officially retired, Mr. Effinger will join his wife in Germany.

Marianne Rumsey First grade teacher Mrs. Marianne Rumsey bids farewell to Casady after 30 years of service in the Lower Division. She plans to retire to Virginia with her husband Tom. “I will miss Casady dearly,” she said, “It’s been a wonderful 30 years.” Her fondest memories at Casady include watching her students grow academically and socially and seeing the ducklings in the lake during spring. “I am going to miss watching the children learn and grow and watching them learn how to interact with each other,” she said. “Graduation was also such a big moment because I realized that many

FACULTY MEMBERS RETIRE AFTER YEARS OF SERVICE


of the students in the ceremony had been in my first-grade class. In first grade, they have those cute, little button noses and by the time they graduate, they have developed a bridge in their noses and they look like young adults. It’s truly a journey to watch.” Mrs. Rumsey earned the Mike Monroney Fellowship in 1994. Once settled in Virginia, Mrs. Rumsey hopes to volunteer as a cuddler in a local hospital.

Thomas Rumsey After 30 years of service to Casady, Mr. Thomas Rumsey will retire to a town near Charlottesville, Va., to be closer to family and to the University of Virginia, his graduate alma mater. During his tenure, Mr. Rumsey served in various positions: Director of College Counseling, History Department Chair, Roy C. Lytle Chair of History and as a history teacher in the Upper Division. His fondest memories of Casady include “all of the committed, bright and witty students I have taught over thirty years, and helping families with college counseling,” he said. In addition, he said he will miss the students, colleagues and friends he made over the years. Mr. Rumsey earned the Mike Monroney Fellowship in 1995.

Thomas Ziebell After 22 years of teaching at Casady School, Mr. Thomas Ziebell says he will miss the students and his colleagues most. Mr. Ziebell taught French from 1990 to 2012 and African History from 2007 to 2011. He also coached freshman basketball and junior varsity baseball from 1990 to 2009. “I think my favorite memory at Casady was being able to create an African History course. I would have taught it this year, but my schedule was full with French courses,” he said. Mr. Ziebell anticipates a fruitful future that may include volunteer work at an at-risk school. “I promised Sally that I would do the grocery shopping and the cooking, so I have to develop some proficiency in that before I take on other projects. I think I would like to tutor in a school with at-risk students or work in adult literacy,” he said. “I will continue to work with the partnership between Harding Charter Prep, Casady and our partner school in Senlis, France. During his tenure at Casady, Mr. Ziebell received both the Mike Monroney Fellowship and the Karen Knutson Award.

FACULTY MEMBERS RETIRE AFTER YEARS OF SERVICE

The Casady Community mourned the loss of fine arts teacher Mr. Gary Riley. Mr. Riley will be remembered for his extraordinary musical talents, handy-man abilities and compassionate nature. Director of Orchestra Larry Moore said Mr. Riley was one of the best musicians in Oklahoma City. “You don’t get a better saxophonist than Gary,” he said. “The great thing about music is that once you play, it will really tell who you are as a musician. Gary was very modest. He never bragged, and when he played, he didn’t have to. He spoke for himself.” Mrs. Stephanie Crossno, English teacher and Theater Director, echoed Moore’s sentiments. “Whenever I met people in the arts community, and they found out I taught at Casady, they wanted to know if I knew Gary Riley,” she said. “I was always proud to share that he was my friend. Gary was loved and respected by anyone lucky enough to have known or to have worked with him. He was truly a Renaissance man- he could do it all.” Strings teacher Mrs. Jana Heidebrecht said she will remember Mr. Riley as a motivator. “He was a great mentor,” she said. “He helped me learn so many things and he was always really positive and he never complained. And, he believed in you. It’s like he just saw the good in you and pulled it out.”

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In Memoriam: Gary Riley


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Casady’s Board of Visitors, a distinguished advisory group, reaffirmed recently during their meeting on campus that Casady is headed in the right direction as we move forward into the next chapter in the life of the School. The Board of Visitors meets once a year to keep in touch with School activities and priorities and to provide advice to the Board of Trustees and School administration. This group is made up of alumni, parents of alumni, current parents and other members of the Casady community who wish to maintain a strong connection to the School and who have resources, connections and expertise that can help guide school leaders in various strategic areas. This year’s meeting, hosted in mid-April, focused on the theme: “Casady 2022: Looking Ahead to the Next Decade and Beyond.” The meeting featured a day-long agenda that brought into focus several aspects of the school’s history and past leadership, a look at its current mission statement and a draft revision, and included some brainstorming sessions regarding Casady’s future. A key aspect of the day highlighted a panel of past Board Chairs who discussed the issues they and the School faced during their leadership tenure. Participants included Carey Joullian, Mike Samis, Christy Everest, Paul Dudman, Mark McCubbin and Larry Nichols. Though each served during different time periods and grappled with myriad challenges and opportunities facing the School, certain common themes emerged during the discussion, including: • Stable and sure leadership from the Head of School is critical to the success of the Board and the School. • The faculty is the lifeblood of the School. Attracting and retaining the right faculty is critical to the School’s mission. • The importance of selecting a path that allows Casady to change and be open to new ideas without abandoning the core values which have benefited the School and so many of its students. • The central role that the Chapel program plays in the life of the School should be safeguarded. • The School should operate like a business in terms of understanding its challenges and opportunities as well as its competition, developing fiscal stability, finding the true right size of the student population and operating the budget accordingly, marketing professionally and clearly communicating our value proposition. Later in the day a student panel engaged the group with a discussion about their experiences at Casady, aspects of the school that have prepared them for their next steps in life, and what Casady should look like in the next 10, 20, even 30 years. The students emphasized

the importance of the faculty’s role in their lives and accomplishments. Each year during the day-long meeting, the Board of Visitors teams up with Casady’s Alumni Association to present a luncheon with a notable keynote speaker in the field of education. This year’s speaker, Robert Henry, president of Oklahoma City University, engaged the audience with his presentation about what a liberal arts education truly means in today’s society. The day was rounded out with presentations from key Casady faculty and staff leadership. Head of School Chris Bright gave his annual State of the School address to update the Board of Visitors with the current activities, challenges and accomplishments of Casady and its students over the course of the past year. Later in the afternoon, Mr. Bright joined Associate Headmaster and CFO Nathan Sheldon, along with Board Chair Eric Fisher in a presentation on the School’s financial sustainability model. Two faculty presentations engaged the visitors in the current realities facing Casady students today as well as some visioning on potential educational models for the future.During the final discussion period of the day, the Board of Visitors were asked what they felt was the most important issue for the School over the next 10-35 years, and echoed that Casady already has accomplished or was working to achieve many of these goals. Attracting and retaining the right faculty was listed as the most important factor by the majority of the Visitors. Maintaining the financial health of the School, maintaining academic excellence, and the right balance between flexibility and core values were listed several times each. Devotion to students and staying true to the core mission of the School also were mentioned as being very important to our success as a School. Throughout the day, the Board of Visitors expressed their sentiments that the School is on track with its current initiatives and plans. Looking ahead to 2022, the School’s 75th anniversary, the Visitors felt we would achieve the collective vision of a well-run School with the highest academic standards and a keen focus on its students and faculty, which would stay true to its core mission while adjusting to meet the needs of tomorrow’s students.


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Casady’s Board of Visitors:Co-ChairsKatheryne Payne Brown ‘80

Robert G. McCampbell ‘76

Kathleen B. McClendon

Mark H. McCubbin ‘74

Board Members

Leigh Ann Albers

Mayree C. Clark

Victoria W. English

Christine Gaylord Everest ‘69

Jean I.”Chip” Everest II ‘75

Tricia L. Everest ‘89

Josephine Freede

James J. Gold ‘82

Margaret Lytle Griner ‘54

Andrea Jackson

Carrie McCune Katigan ‘85

Stanley W. Lee ‘62

William H. Leney ‘53

Bebe Bolen MacKellar ‘88

Lisa Buxton Mathis ‘88

D’Arline McCubbin

Steven B. McDonnold ‘76

Martha Mullally

Dr. Sumit Nanda

J. Larry Nichols ‘60

Thomas K. Oppenheim ‘79

Richard Orthwein

Dr. Leslie Rainbolt-Forbes

Kathryn Records Ryan ‘75

Michael S. Samis ‘72

Dr. Jonathan Schwartz ‘74

Miles Tolbert ‘82

Jack E. Turner, II

William K. Vandever ‘88

James J. Van Stone

Corby Fraley Verdoorn ‘79

Casey Williams

Walter C. Wilson ‘54

Mary B. Woolsey ‘73


D During Founders’ Week, members of the Casady community attended a memorial service and reception in St. Edward’s Chapel honoring our late Headmaster Emeritus Dr. Robert. B. Woolsey. Dr. Woolsey is an integral part of Casady’s history, serving from 1963 to 1980. A respected leader, scholar and gentleman, Dr. Woolsey’s memory will be cherished for years to come. Associate Head of School, David Gorham, shared the following remarks at the memorial service:

As you know Bob came to Casady in 1963 to run the School. What a change for him – coming from a small New England town where he was a School Master at the Taft School – to the plains of Oklahoma. At Taft he had a lushly treed campus with excellent facilities and when he came to Casady there were not a lot of trees and some of the original buildings needed serious upgrading. Bob brought a vision to Casady that still goes on today. I can’t name every family who fits in this category but when Bob and Jo Anne came to

Casady families like the Hightowers, Everests, Hoffmans, Joullians, Williams, and Huffman’, to name a few, helped welcome the Woolseys and every one of those families is still tied to the School today. One of his first dreams was to have a home for the Headmaster on the campus, and plans for that were begun in 1963. He also had the vision to bring all the divisions of the School onto one campus. In 1963 the Middle and Upper Divisions were at the School’s current site but Primary and Lower were down at All Souls’ church. It took some cajoling and fund raising but the Headmaster’s home – now called the Woolsey house – was opened by the end of the summer of 1964 and Bob and JoAnne moved in. Then in 1964 the Lower Division building was built as was Grantham‐Griffing Field House. Then in 1969 the School built the Primary Division and Vose Science Building, Woods Mathematics Building, and Lee Lecture Hall, which stood where the wonderful new W. R. Johnston Math Building stands today. Bob’s vision of having the School all on one campus was now a reality. Then toward the end of his tenure he built Fee Theatre and Harper/Ford Art Center and also the Gaylord Student Center. But buildings weren’t everything.

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Bob always had a vision of bringing a strong independent school faculty to the campus. Strong faculty, yes! Bob’s idea for a strong faculty person was that it was not just what went on in classes that counted, but it was what went on outside the classroom where a faculty member may have made the most lasting impression on his or her students. Manners, proper behavior, ethics, competition, care and respect for one another were all part of the hidden curriculum. Kids at Casady expected to see a faculty member at their plays, their athletic competitions, in the hallways, at lunch. It was often true that, if one had taught a student Advanced Placement Biology, she may well remember the faculty member more for congratulating her after their recital at a concert, or consoling her after a tough loss in sports, or for spending time with them as an advisor. Now I have some personal memories of the Woolsey years that I’d like to share. Sometime in 1955 I was encouraged to apply to the Taft School in Watertown, Connecticut. I applied to Taft in 1956 and was admitted. I had taken Latin in 7th and 8th grades in California and so chose Latin for my language at Taft. Bob was then the chair of the Classical Languages department at Taft and I got to know him as a teacher. He taught me a combined course called Classics in which we read parts of the Aeneid, in Latin, and the Iliad, in Greek. I got to know Jo Anne in my Junior year when Bob was the Upper Middle Class Chairman (a hoity‐toity New England term for grade11). He and Jo Anne had moved to a gorgeous house on Guernsey Town Road up near Taft’s football field. We often went there for what we called a “feed” – pizza and cokes. After graduation from Taft I went on to Brown University and did not have much contact with Bob until February of 1964 when I was floundering as to what I should do – graduate school or employment. I wrote him on February 29 of that year and asked

his advice. He was in his first year at Casady and on March 4 he wrote me the following. “You might consider coming to Casady as a “spare” which is nothing more nor less than a simplified term for an apprentice teacher. I would be glad to have you come to Casady in such a position, with the thought that we would try and give you at least one course in elementary Latin … maybe Geography in grade 5, History in grade 8 or perhaps some special work with individual students. In addition to such teaching as you might have, there would be the inevitable responsibilities in the athletic program. If you are interested in such a post I shall be glad to be this specific and say it will provide you an annual compensation of $2500. I am very anxious to see you get started in the right direction and in the right place and very willing to provide a means of helping you, only provided I am convinced it will also be for the good of Casady School. The position which I have defined, in my judgment, could serve the health of the School; I would hope that it might have some practical advantages for you.” How about 48 years worth of practical advantages thanks to Bob Woolsey? Thank you, Bob.

The preceding was an excerpt from David Gorham’s remarks at the memorial service honoring Dr. Bob Woolsey. To read a complete transcript of Mr. Gorham’s remarks from the Woolsey service, please go to www.casady.org

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Casady School is pleased to announce the launch of its new website. Still hosted at www.casady.org, this new site offers a fresh look, more user functionality and a special place for every constituent group with devotion to each user’s unique preferences.I’m a parent… With the new site, parents have a place specifically designed for the information they want and need about their students’ daily activities. By clicking on the red “PARENTS” log-in button found in the top right-hand corner of the site’s homepage, parents will be transported to a platform all their own. The new “parent landing page” allows parents to stay up-to-date with campus news and events, check the school and athletic calendars, retrieve vital divisional forms and information and even check out the lunch menu – all in one place. Also featured on the landing page is MyCasady, the password-protected area of the website for Casady community members only. To ensure that confidential information is kept private, the site provides assignments, grades and a new online directory once a parent has logged into MyCasady. This new area is an upgrade from NetClassroom, which was introduced last school year.I’m a student… Keeping up with the calendar letter day, finding out what’s for lunch in Calvert Hall and staying on top of the School’s events and athletics schedules are just a few of the options students have once they click the red “STUDENTS” button found in the top right-hand corner of the new site’s homepage. After logging into MyCasady from the student landing page, students can view their daily homework assignments, recent grades and read comments from their teachers about their progress in each class.

I’m a faculty… Faculty members already make good use of technology in the classroom, and the introduction of NetClassroom last school year brought grade books into the digital realm. MyCasady provides all the information and functionality of NetClassroom with a few added enhancements, such as teacher pages for each class. Faculty members can access their own landing page by clicking the red “FACULTY” button found in the top right-hand corner of the site’s homepage and will find many of the same items as parents and students will see, in a quick, easy-to-find format. Additional resources for faculty include quick access to FAWeb, tutorials and user documentation. I’m an alumnus… Whether near or far, keeping in touch with your alma mater has never been easier. Our new website offers a special landing page for alumni, too, that can be accessed by clicking on the “ALUMNI” button found in the top right-hand corner of the site’s homepage. There you will find links to all alumni events listing, profiles of distinguished Casady grads and more. In addition, by logging into MyCasady, the password-protected area of the site, alums can update address information and eventually view an online Alumni Directory. The new directory is set to go live on March 1, 2013, so all alums are encouraged to log on, update contact information and check privacy settings prior to launch.

CASADY SCHOOL UNVEILS NEW WEBSITESomething for Everyone, and a Place Just for You!


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OCTOBER 25Casady’s Celebration of Alumni

A Dinner and Tribute to Golden Cyclones from 1951 to 1962 and 2012 Alumni Awards Honorees

Distinguished GraduateE. Carey Joullian IV ’78

Alumni AchievementBridget A. Finley 1982

Young Alumni AchievementJohn S. Solomon ’98

OCTOBER 26Casady Club Luncheon

Homecoming and Fall Fest ActivitiesAlumni Association and Cyclone Booster Club Reception

OCTOBER 27Campus Tours

Picnic on the Playground

Fall Reunions1957 | 1962 | 1972 | 1977 | 1987 | 1992 | 1997 | 2002

homecoming


Casady School 9500 North Pennsylvania AvenueOklahoma City, Oklahoma 73120

Phone: (405) 749-3100Fax: (405)749-3214

www.casady.org

Non- Profit OrgU.S. Postage

PAIDOklahoma City, OK

Permit No. 393

Front and back cover photos taken by Chris Landsberger


Documents

Casady Spring/ Summer Magazine 2012